High School Wrestling Preview

River Hill senior Scott Mantua does not cut an intimidating figure. He likes to go fishing and his quiet demeanor and soft-spoken nature speaks more to the "student" in "student-athlete." But if Mantua does the same thing this year that he has done the past two years -- win a state championship -- he will become just the fourth three-time state champion ever from Howard County.

The others are Hammond's Vince Taweel, whose campaign to become the county's first four-time state champ ended with a torn anterior cruciate ligament at the 2006-07 state tournament; River Hill's Brandon Lauer, now Mantua's coach; and Oakland Mills' Jeff Rosenberg, an assistant coach at River Hill last season.

Mantua headlines a River Hill lineup that also includes state finalists Nathan White (140) and Cameron Kirby (119).

"River Hill's got probably the most impressive group of top guns," Hammond coach Pedro Barbosa said.

Nathan Kraisser is the county's best newcomer in a windfall of outstanding freshmen. Kraisser, whose father, Cliff, is an assistant and older brother, Brian, is a junior 152 pounder, finished fourth at the Cadet National freestyle tournament this past summer in Fargo, N.D.

Centennial coach Dave Roogow does not want to place heavy expectations on his extraordinary talent, but he knows the freshman will hold himself to the highest standards.

"I'm sure (winning a state title) is one of his goals," Roogow said.

The Kraisser brothers, along with Dan LeRoy, named outstanding wrestler at the county tournament, should make the Eagles a top competitor in the county.

Roogow agrees that River Hill is the team to beat, but adds that "it's fairly wide open. There is a chance there might not be an undefeated team."

Reservoir and Marriotts Ridge, the county's newest two schools, have been developing strong programs and continue to fill their wrestling rooms with good numbers. Tradition-rich Hammond and Oakland Mills have no sure-fire state championship contenders, but have deep, tough lineups.

Along with Mantua, Atholton junior Kevin Beck is one of two returning state champions in the county.

The season kicks off Friday, Dec. 5 as River Hill and Glenelg visit Centennial in a tri-meet Jan. 27

BACK POINTS

Here's how the teams look:

ATHOLTON

2007-08 records: 10-1 county, 19-4 overall

Coach: Bruce Lindblad, 11th season.

Top wrestlers: Seniors Bruce Steinel (140-145) and Jimmy Geiser (152); junior Kevin Beck (112-119); sophomore Adam D'Amico (135-140); freshmen Brett Rossiter (112) and Brett Kaufman (125).

What you need to know: The Raiders are solid in the lower weights anchored by a defending state champ (Beck) and a former county finalist (Steinel) back from a shoulder injury which sidelined him as a junior. But the upper weights, which were a strength last year, are barren this year.

"We're in trouble (at upper weights)," Lindblad said. "Down low we'll be fine."

Bonus point: Malcolm Stennett, a 189-pound county champ last year, visited practice recently. When he saw Beck, who has packed on enough muscle to climht classes, he said, "Who is that?"

CENTENNIAL

2007-08 records: 4-7, 16-14

Coach: Dave Roogow, second season.

Top wrestlers: Seniors Dan LeRoy (125-130), Jack Western (135), Kenny Sheain (140) and Brian Lucht (145); junior Brian Kraisser (152); freshman Nathan Kraisser (103).

What you need to know: Western struggled at 112 last year. He should be much stronger at 135. Sheain was an undefeated JV county champ last season. Centennial's middle weights (130-152) have the edge on any team in the county. If the Eagles can get some consistency from their upperweights they could challenge River Hill for the county title like they did back in 2003.

Bonus point: LeRoy's Pin to Win campaign has raised more than $4,000 for Habitat for Humanity and the Matt Watson Foundation.

GLENELG

2007-08 records: 11-0, 16-2 (County, region and state tournament champion).

Coach: Scott Delpo, third season.

Top wrestlers: Seniors Tim Mayhew (140) and Zach Cross (215); juniors Brendan Conway (125) and Zach Gerber (112); sophomore Nick Caffrfreshman Ryan Fitzgibbons (103).

What you need to know: Glenelg graduated four seniors that combined to win 138 matches last season. There's no getting around that. But Delpo says his team is going to try to make its own legacy and could surprise some with their quick recovery.

Bonus point: Caffrey recorded a 12-second pin last season.

HAMMOND

2007-08 records: 6-5, 16-13

Coach: Pedro Barbosa, eighth season.

Top wrestlers: Seniors Nick Croninger (171), Danny Flanagan (189), Josh Halper (125), Roberto Aleman (145), Sam Henig (130); juniors Brandon Campbell (119); Dylan Gillett (112); freshman Jonathan Goodwin (112).

What you need to know: Hammond is a team with good depth and a solid wrestler at just about every weight class. Halper and Gillett are the teams most accomplished wrestlers, each regional finalists and state place winners in 2008. Croninger and Campbell also went to the state tournament last season. Goodwin is one of several wrestlers from the Howard County Vipers' program sprinkled throughout the c and should be ready to compete as a freshman.

"If we're going to be successful, it's going to be because we're a little deeper," Barbosa said.

Bonus point: Sophomore heavyweight Ben Haase is the stepbrother of Gillett and his older brother, two-time state champ Devon Gillett, won state titles for Hammond in 2007 and 2008 at 112 and 119 pounds.

HOWARD

2007-08 records: 4-7, 14-16

Coach: Sean Alkire, fourth season.

Top wrestlers: Seniors Kevin Eckart (130), Kris Dutt (140) and Steve Canterbury (145).

What you need to know: In Tyler Bulger and Mario Trevizo, Howard lost two of its top five all-time in career wins to graduation. Dutt has shown flashes of greatness, but has struggled with injuries in each of the past two postseasons. If his body doesn't betray him again, he could finish his high school career on a positive note by winning a medal at the state tournament.

Bonus point: The Lions had 17 freshmen come out for the team this season.

LONG REACH

2007-08 records: 0-11, 0-13

Coach: Frank Valenza, second seasostlers: Seniors Trevor Hsu (145) and Tyler Martin (171); juniors Travis Preston (135), Wesley Crabtree (140) and Chase Williams (152).

What you need to know: Valenza is now in his second year as Lightning head coach. That consistency, though brief, is a start to getting this struggling program back on solid footing. Hsu won a championship at the Patapsco Tournament last season, which was a confidence boost for a team that hasn't won a county dual meet or had a returning coach since the 2004-2005 season. The Lightning also have 25 wrestlers in the room for the second straight season, another encouraging sign.

Bonus point: J.C. Porter and Mike Augustine were Long Reach's last county champs, in 1999.

MARRIOTTS RIDGE

2007-08 records: 6-5, 29-7

Coach: Jason Conley, fourth season.

Top wrestlers: Seniors Jae Kim (215), Jon Simonetti (189), James Nies (171) and David Bisacre (135); juniors Josh Tilles (152) and Greg Stokes (285).

What you need to know: With 48 wrestlers in the room, numbers are not a problem for Conley. Figuout a starting lineup will be, though, with tight wrestle offs at multiple weight classes. The Mustangs entered three dual meet tournaments last season, totaling over 20 matches, to maximize experience. Tilles and Kim each won 30 matches and won matches in the state tournament last season.

Bonus point: Kim and Tilles could each win their 100th career match this season.

MT.HEBRON

2007-08 records: 1-10, 8-22

Coach: Todd DeCrispino, second season (18 previous at Centennial).

Top wrestlers: Senior Taylor Klotzman (130-135); juniors J.D. Cowan (140) and Graham Welch (125); sophomore Drew Vickers (112).

What you need to know: Klotzman was a 30-match winner last season at 112 pounds and wrestled in the state tournament. Vickers won 29 matches in a very tough weight class as a freshman. DeCrispino has several talented wrestlers -- including sophomores A.J. Wade and Jon Iwaskiw and junior transfer C.J. Harris all bunched together around 189 and 215 and it is yet to be seen how they'll shake out.

"I wish they were spread ore," DeCrispino said.

Bonus point: DeCrispino coached the boys cross country team to a state championship this fall. Welch, who won the B race at the county championship, is out until January with a hip pointer.

OAKLAND MILLS

2007-08 records: 8-3, 14-5

Coach: Brad Howell, 11th season.

Top wrestlers: Seniors Michael Daniel (215), Peter Petties (140-145), Julian Wood (125-130), Khalil Norris (135-140) and Matt Widstrom (171); freshman Tony Farace (103-112).

What you need to know: The Scorpions have a senior-laden team with experience: Daniel won 25 matches last season and owns wins over a state finalist (Hammond's Mitch Cowger) and a former region champ (Marriotts Ridge's Jae Kim). Petties, another 25-match winner and region finalist, wrestled with the Maryland National team in Fargo, N.D., over the summer. Farace is one of the best newcomers in the county, with a junior league state championship to his name. A sophomore, C.J. Choi, and a junior, Chris Pierre-Loui, will battle it out for the 285-pound spot.

Bonus poDaniel, Petties, Wood, Norris, Pierre-Loui and Choi all played football for the Scorpions.

RESERVOIR

2007-08 records: 7-4, 16-5

Coach: Ryan Kanaskie, third season.

Top wrestlers: Seniors Tim Schwartz (119-125), Tyler Breitschwerdt (171-189) and Sean O'Keefe (140-145); juniors Josh Knox (103-112), Danny Poore (112-119) and Mike Mullens (160-171); sophomores Mark Colabucci (130-135) and Josh Hamilton (189-215).

What you need to know: Reservoir is coming off its best season in school history, but the Gators graduated much of what got them there, including Zach Coe, the school's first state placewinner. They still have good numbers and good depth, so they should be able to work toward improving the program again. Schwartz has been a top three county finisher each of the last two seasons, and Breitschwerdt became Reservoir's first county champ last season. Poore has waited two year's to crack the varsity lineup, winning two JV county titles along the way.

Bonus point: Colabucci, who won 24 matches as a freshman, is ounger brother of Nick Colabucci, a 2004 county finalist with Atholton.

RIVER HILL

2007-08 records: 7-4, 16-12

Coach: Brandon Lauer, third season.

Top wrestlers: Seniors Scott Mantua (112), Nathan White (140), Sean Kirby (135), Eric Kohr (189), Jake Pace (215) and Isa Mohammed (103); juniors Evan Shebel (130), Brandon Barnes (285); sophomores Cameron Kirby (119) and Max Williams (152).

What you need to know: It will be very difficult to beat the Hawks head-to-head in the lower half of the lineup. Mohammed has been trapped behind Mantua and Kirby the past two seasons, but when he has wrestled varsity he has gone 10-2. As a senior, he should have a strength advantage over the county's younger lightweights. Shebel finished his sophomore season strong, placing third in the region and winning a match in the state tournament. Sean Kirby won two matches at states. The upperweights are anchored by Pace, who will play soccer for Maryland next year, and Barnes, who sat out last year with a knee injury after finishing thi the county as a sophomore heavyweight.

Bonus point: Scott Trench (171) has kicked 53 extra points and Eric Kohr (189) has made 69 tackles for the defending state champion River Hill football team, which will play for a second straight state title Saturday, Dec. 6.

WILDE LAKE

2007-08 records: 2-9, 5-14

Coach: Azmar Hagler, second season.

Top wrestlers: Senior Jackson Drury (189); junior Austyn Martin-McRae (285); sophomores Alvin Harris (160), Zathy Ndiang (152) and Christian James (171); freshman Alex Polonsky (103).

What you need to know: Hagler can often be seen roaming the track at Wilde Lake football games and his loyalty has paid off. Drury, Martin-McRae and James are all gridders that are also grapplers. The only catch? Hagler won't get them in the practice room until after they've played in the football state championship, Dec. 4. Polonsky will make a nice addition to the lower weights after placing in the junior league state tournament as a Howard County Viper last season.

Bonus point: Assistant coach L"Butch" Keaser won a silver medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. Wilde Lake will attend the inaugural Lloyd Keaser Classic duals tournament Dec. 12 and 13 at North County High School, in Glen Burnie.

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